


C'est comme ça

by itsnicsalad



Category: Infinity Train (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen, Simon gets mentioned a lil, also can i just say i love the cat, also this site still confuses me, i havent written in a while so this might feel a bit clunky, i used google translate for the french parts so if it's inaccurate please let me know, if there is gonna be a season 4, shes my favourite character i really hope we see more of her, the finale destroyed me and this is my way of coping lmao
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-01
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:41:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26231323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsnicsalad/pseuds/itsnicsalad
Summary: Grace still has a lot to work through.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 45





	C'est comme ça

**Author's Note:**

> am praying for a season 4 rn thats all i have to say

Footsteps echoed off the metal floor as Grace made her way across the elongated bridge. The bright purple lightning flashing aross the stormy sky illuminated her dark features, the sound of the clunky train amplifying the noise of the booming thunder above. 

It had been a month since Grace parted ways with the Apex. Her crew, her twisted version of a family. She wondered how they were coping, especially since they all looked up to Grace as a big sister. Half of them weren’t even teenagers yet. The origami birds that were perching on Grace’s shoulders fluttered away. One month. Weird. It almost felt like years.

The door loomed before her, the golden handle glistening as though it were begging to be turned. With a swift yank, the doorway was flooded with a bright blue light. She raised a hand to shield her eyes. It didn’t help that the numbers on her wrist were combating the light with a bright green glow of their own.  _ Wonder what this one’ll be. _

The red door slid shut as she stepped into the car, forming a barrier from the harsh wasteland outside.

It took awhile for Grace to recognise where she was. Crooked trees and leafy bushes came flooding into her field of vision as her eyes adjusted to the new setting. A jungle? 

A sudden rustling from a nearby bush made her jump. A small lizard crawled out from the purple leaves, staring up at Grace with big slit eyes. 

She kicked it gently with the toe of her sneaker. The lizard started to glow, a whistling sound erupting from its mouth. She yelped, stumbling backwards. 

“Oh my god, this-this was Tuba’s car,” she stammered. “Tuba and…. Hazel’s car. Hazel….”

Saying her name out loud for the first time in a month had struck a nerve. She’ll never forgive herself for the way she treated Hazel, how she built such a strong connection with the young girl only for Grace to break Hazel’s trust right when she needed it the most. Her cheerful voice still rang in her ears.

Grace shook her head, as if shaking out all the memories that came flooding back to her.  _ There’s nothing I can do for her anymore. And that’s that. _

The atmosphere felt more somber as Grace trudged through the jungle car, the occasional whispering of the wind and chattering of surrounding wildlife reminding her that she wouldn’t be alone if she were to break down. A pile of pineapples collapsed as Grace slid by. She carried on.

The sudden shift in setting snapped her back to reality as she opened the car door, the wind whipping her hair into her face. She sighed, hastily tying her dreadlocks into a frizzy ponytail as she made her way across the bridge to the next car.

Grace hadn’t even opened the door when she heard a familiar muffled voice from inside. Raising an eyebrow, she gently pressed her ear against the door.

“Je ne l'ai pas vu depuis des semaines….”

“Shit.” She gritted her teeth. What luck that she had stumbled upon Samantha’s car, or one of her cars. She took a deep breath.  _ Alright we’re just…. gonna sneak past her. Yeah, that’s fine. This is totally fine. _

The wooden floorboards creaked as Grace stepped into the car, the door sliding shut behind her. The dark painted oak walls were lined with giant shelves that stretched to the ceiling, or as high as one might assume the ceiling would be. It was as if she were a mouse inside a broom closet. Grace frowned.

A leather chair stood before her, shielding a bright orange glow emitting from the fireplace up ahead. The smell of chamomile tea filled the air as Grace carefully manouvered her way around and away from the chair, careful not to step on the abundance of items strewn across the floor. The exit was right in front of her

She was about to reach for the handle when a sharp hiss caused her to flinch. She slowly swivelled around until she faced the chair, dodging the stares that were being thrown at her.

“Samantha.”

“How nice to see you too, Grace,” the cat sneered, flicking her tail. Her ears were flat against her head. “Lovely of you to drop by. I was absolutely  _ dying _ to see you, croyez-le ou non.”

Over the past couple of weeks Grace had grown to appreciate and respect the denizens she ran into while exploring the train. All but one. She turned on her heels and started to trek away from the feline and her chair.

“I see Simon’s not with you now. You wouldn’t happen to know where he is would you?”

Grace froze, her brow furrowed. “Listen, Samantha, I’m not in the mood right now…”

“Pour l'amour de Dieu, I’m not playing your games.” The cat leaped off the chair, padding towards the door where Grace remained frigid. “For all I know you were the last one to see him. I haven’t seen Simon in weeks.”

“You didn’t go back for him.”

It took a few moments for the cat to realise what the girl was implying. “Are you seriously bringing this up now?”

“You could’ve gone back for him.”

“Grace listen to me….”

“You could’ve- you should’ve-”

“Grace.”

Grace heard the sincere quiver weave through Samantha’s words. She rested her hand on the door handle, avoiding the cat’s pleading stares.

_ What is there to say? What  _ could she _ say? _

“I’m sorry for what happened, I truly am,” Samantha said, “But I’m not sorry for not being able to give him more than I could offer.” She halted by Grace’s ankles, staring up at the human girl towering above her. “I’m done picking fights, and I have a feeling you are too. I just want to know if Simon is alright. Please, you must understand.”

She already felt like shit that Samantha was addressing an apology that wasn’t meant for her, but it was only when Grace looked back over her shoulder to see the cat’s yellow eyes, soft and concerned and genuine, that she started to break.

“Grace, chéri, where is he? What happened?”

It was as if the world came crashing down on her. Everything that she had been through with Simon, the way his body and soul disintegrated before her eyes. After all this time alone on the train this was the first time she let herself come to terms with his death.

There were no loud cries of anguish or pain, those days were long over. Only quiet sobs filled the room, a broken atmosphere. The cat slowly tred towards Grace, hunched over by the door, her grip tightening around the handle.

“Grace, is he….?”

No response other than a subtle nod was given, but that was all it took for the cat to process the information. Her voice cracked as she spoke, 

“H-how-”   
“It was a Ghom,” Grace muttered. “A Ghom got him and now he’s gone.” She rubbed her face in her hands and took a few deep breaths, glancing back at the cat standing paralysed. She couldn’t tell what was going through Samantha’s head, only that she had obviously not taken the news very well. For the first time ever, Grace felt a pang of sympathy for her. Although the cat had a rocky relationship with Simon, it was clear she still loved him, even if she didn’t show it often.

Blinking away the last of the tears, Grace yanked on the door handle, causing the door to slide open. The wind felt cold on her face.

She stepped outside, gripping the door frame as if she were steadying herself. She glanced over her shoulder. “Hey, Samantha?” 

The cat peered up to meet the girl’s gaze. 

“I’m, sorry you had to find out like this.” Grace let go of the frame. “I don’t know when we’ll see each other again, but um, if we ever do you can talk to me.”

Samantha cracked a slight smile, her eyes soft and tired. “I would appreciate that. Au revoir, Grace.”

“Au revoir.”

The girl gave a knowing nod before heading off towards the bridge that led to the next car, and as the crimson door slid shut behind her, the glowing green number on her wrist started to go down.


End file.
